Vampire Dreams
by Gayle Cara Maxwell
Summary: Moonlightaholics Champagne Challenge #144: Naughty and Nice The story must feature at least one Moonlight character, and just for holiday fun, it must include the words jingle, stocking, and frost. Those are the only restrictions. DISCLOSURE: I own NOTHING, not even the silk robe I put a character in!


Champagne Challenge #144: Naughty and Nice / pg13

The story must feature at least one Moonlight character, and just for holiday fun, it must include the words jingle, stocking, and frost. Those are the only restrictions.

DISCLOSURE: I own NOTHING, not even the silk robe I put a character in!

**VAMPIRE DREAMS**

* * *

Holding her stocking to her heart Beth surveyed the tree. It was fragrant, it was fashionable and it was their first.

"Beth, my dear" Josh came up behind her, his early morning scruff catching on the back of her neck with a start, "There's a little jingle – jingle under the tree for you. First, let me get the coffee started." His warm breath washed over her as she eyed the tiny gift bag. It was so like Josh to slide a little something under the tree, had he done that after they put the lights out last night? Or had he slid this morning before she could roust herself from their bed's warmth?

Josh retreated from her soft form to flip the switch on the coffee maker. Their family room was massive, so massive that the quiet beating of their two hearts nearly echoed off the mahogany beams. Beth turned from the frosty windows, her hungry eyes following him. She caught the sight of her left hand, home for the exquisite ring Josh had reset for her.

It was silent here; she had to remind herself why they had moved to Seattle. She blinked then she blinked harder. The job, it was all about his job. Well, it was about the money too. The Lindsey family had stood on the precedent that a Lindsey had to stand at the helm of Lindsey, Frost & Farmer and suddenly the newlyweds were ensconced in this 'home' overlooking Puget Sound.

"Did you open your gift?" Josh's excitement caused her to jump; Beth realized she had been fixated on the tree, all 12 feet of it. Her smile dampened when she recalled the years she and her Mom barely had a dozen ornaments on a 'Charlie Brown' tree.

How far she had come yet how far had she fallen? Mick had told her she HAD to do this, it was only right. He had insisted this was her destiny to marry Josh, take the time mortals had and love till it hurt. If he only knew.

And it did hurt. Each twilight she mooned over the sight of an ivory orb rising in the blue-black sky. She'd be alone, waiting for Josh to return from his day on the 44th floor of Seattle's Two Union Square. If she squinted her sad eyes tightly she could 'see' Pershing Square and the bright white glow of the Title Guarantee Building.

Josh's hand spread lovingly on the curve of her hip as he guided her to the Natuzzi sofa, "Let me bring it to you." Josh's bright eyes regarded his wife; he loved these early hours when he didn't have to rush away from her side. Returning to her, he dropped to one knee. "Remember when I proposed?" he handed her the gift bag and for a few seconds their fingertips brushed electrically.

"I do, it was the beach at Santa Monica Pier." She nodded, their eyes locked. What a guy he was, jet black hair mussed, blue black scruff on his handsome jaw. Josh was everything a Disney Princess would dream of.

With a deep breath his voice mesmerized her, "Thank-you, for making all my dreams come true, Beth"

His words reverberated within her, simple words pin-balling off the synapses in her brain.**_ "Dreams. . . . . Dreams . . . . . . . dreams come true…..dreams come true…..true…..true…true…. dreams.. … "_**

Beth shook her head at the words; her hands flew up to catch the icy clasp. She had cracked her forehead on the freezer lid one too many times. Sitting upright her eyes scanned the blue-white light around her. Mick lay besides her, supine and tranquil wearing only a delicate coating of frost. Emotionally reflexive yet unnecessary her undead heart caught at the sight of him, the matching platinum bands on their left hands.

Vampires don't dream….. Vampires don't dream she reminded herself.

Well, wasn't that freakish? Vampires were not supposed to dream. Stealthily, she moved over the side to claim her silk robe and a package she had worked so hard to hide from Mick. It was hell being married to a P.I., well not really but they joked about injecting some 'mortal' humor into their supernatural life.

On tiptoe she landed at the bottom of the stairs, one of the movements she loved to execute once she learned how to do that 'Vampire Jumpy Thing'. She withdrew the small package from her purse and nestled it within the branches of the fir. Mick would see it immediately and he'd tell her how unnecessary gifts were, that he had everything he ever wanted in their love. Then he'd produce a gift with a crooked grin and nervous tongue over his lip. How could a vampire actually blush? Well Mick seemed to, his love for her actually colored his cheeks.

Now the loft was awash with her unbridled scent, she'd conjured her inviting bouquet with just her recollections of lying beside Mick from dawn till dusk. Her undead 'life' was wickedly full, more full than she had ever dreamed. There was that word again, 'dream'.

Then she stretched to hang the spun glass ornament, '2008 – Our First Christmas Together' and she froze as Mick's powerful hands gently caught the crest of her hips, sliding the soft silk against her cool skin.

"Merry First Christmas together, Mrs. St. John." His words riding on cool breath titillated her. Spinning to face him they seemed to dance a moment only to lock in their first embrace of the night.

"Same to you, Mr. St John" She cast a coquettish expression at him as she realized Mick stood there, mistletoe in hand, still frosty in the buff from their double-wide freezer.

Mick crooked his finger at her, still brandishing the mistletoe, "Come back upstairs for a while, wouldn't it be nice?"

"It's a deal, my dear," Beth winked, "if we can make it naughty."

And he did...


End file.
